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How To Use PGP On Mac OS X?
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If you want to keep your messages and files private, using PGP encryption is a great option. In this guide, we will show you how to use PGP on Mac OS X step by step. The operating system in question is OS X 10.9 Mavericks, but it should work with other versions as well. GPG Suite Beta 5 will be used as the tool itself.Â
If you've done your research, you'll see that doing anything darknet-related on OS X is not encouraged, but we are not going to go through the intricacies here. You've clearly made your choice.
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Table of Contents
- Step 1: Install GPG Suite
- Step 2: Generate Your Key Pair
- Step 3: Setting Up The Environment
- Step 4: Getting Your Public Keys
- Step 5: Getting Your Private Keys
- Step 6: Importing Your Public Key
- Step 7: Importing Your Private Keys
- Step 8: Encrypt Messages or Files
- Step 9: Decrypt Messages or Files
- Conclusion
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Step 1: Install GPG Suite
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The first step in using PGP on Mac OS X is to install the GPG Suite. This is a free and open-source software package that includes everything you need to use PGP on your Mac.
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To download the GPG Suite for MacOS, go to https://gpgtools.org and click on the "Download GPG Suite" button.
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Then follow the instructions to install it on your Mac. The instructions would go like this:
- When you open the downloaded file, you should see this screen. Double-click the 'Install' button.
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- Follow the installation instructions. If everything went well, you should see this screen. You can now shut the window.
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Step 2: Generate Your Key Pair
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Once you have installed the GPG Suite, the next step to use PGP on Mac OS X is to generate your key pair. A key pair consists of a public key and a private key. You will use your public key to encrypt messages or files, and your private key to decrypt them. In this case, we will use 4096 bit length for encryption.
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- To generate your key pair, open GPG Keychain, which is included in the GPG Suite. The window below should open.
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- Click on "New" on the top left to create a new key pair.
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- A tiny popup should appear. Make sure the key length is 4096 by clicking the arrow next to 'Advanced settings'. We'll uncheck 'key expires' for our needs.
- Then enter your name and email address. You can also add a comment if you want.
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- Choose a strong passphrase for your private key and make sure to remember it. Click on "Generate Key" to create your key pair.
- GPG Keychain will start creating your key. Move the cursor around, type in a text editor, then wait for anything to download. Make entropy for a safe key by doing random things.
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